Juggling
by Solariaa
Summary: It started with Luna learning to Juggle from Peeves. Stories about Luna, Draco, their friends, and the Hogwarts ghosts. About everything from learning new tricks and getting over bullies to love and doing what's right.
1. Lesson One

This started out as "Luna learning something fun from Peeve's" and turned into "Draco crashes Luna's lesson".

* * *

"_What_, are you doing?" The cold, sharp, drawl, Surprised Luna so badly she jumped and dropped two of the three bright balls she been tossing.

Peeves, floating before her, took this opportunity to outright throw the 7 helmet he'd been playing with up into the air and come crashing loudly on the stone floor. He cackled happily and darted away before the crashing brought mister flinch and he awful cat to the scene. Luna though, stood there, staring down the hall at the blond boy that had interrupted her. Her blond hair looked like silver in the sunlight streaming from the window behind her and helmets and two jewel colored blue and green balls bounced and crashed around her.

"Well," she began matter-of-fact-ly, as the balls wild bouncing slowed and the noise of crashing helmets died down. "I was learning to juggle, but my teacher just ran off."

Luna's voice was as dreaming as ever, she favored the equally blond boy with a kind half smile, she knew him well enough though they'd never spoken before. It was through her friend that Luna Lovegood knew Draco Malfoy. Harry, Ron, Hermoine and Ginny often talked about Draco, the most common topic being what a git he was. Luna having never talked to him, kept quiet, as she wanted to withhold judgment till she had met him herself.

"Juggling?" His voice dripped skepticism as he sized her up. "You were learning to juggle from Peeves? Isn't he normally too busy terrorizing the first years before class?"

He was smirking at her.

"It's good fun, the juggling I mean." Luna answered serenely. "Would you like to learn?"

Draco waved his wand lazily and the two dropped balls came flying to land softly in his waiting free hand. "Learn to throw balls and catch them again? No thanks, some of us have better things to do."

Shrugging Luna moved forward and came to stand before Draco, "Suit yourself," She sounded as dreamy as ever, holding out her hand for her balls.

They stood there for a moment; Draco stared down at Luna as she watched some far off point behind his elbow. He played with the two balls in his hand watching the sunlight play in the younger girls hair and the sound of other students making their way to the dining hall echoed up and down the hall way. Luna, with her hair tied lastly up and back, her wand tucked behind her ear, waited for her balls to be returned. After a few moments she gazed expectantly up at Draco, the usual dreamy half smile on her face from habit more than anything.

"What will you give me for them?" Draco asked shattering the muffled silence that had settled between them.

"_This,"_ and she kissed him.

Pushing off, Luna stood on tip toes to press a soft playful kiss to Draco's nose. Stray fly-away silver-blond curls ticked Draco's stunned face as she pressed the third jewel colored ball into his palm with its brothers before gracefully dropping back down, she rocked back on her heels and smiling sweetly up at the older blond.

"Don't loss them, I'll get them back later."

With that, Luna Lovegood spun and skipped down the hall over dented the helmets Peeves had dropped and toward the hall the poltergeist had flown through earlier.

"What," Draco called after her –smirking- "makes you think I'll give them back?"

"A feeling," She called back from the end of the hall before disappearing around the corner.

* * *

"Ooooh, Draco, they're so pretty!" Pansy fawned over the blue and green balls Draco kept spinning and toying with in the palm of his hand.

She was sitting with him on the bench, the dining hall was full with students on lunch breaks and Pansy kept trying to cuddle close to Draco as if they were dating, while all around them people were talking, eating and trying hurriedly to finish half done essays before their afternoon classes.

Pansy moved, petting Draco's hair, she was forever trying to pet Draco's hair_, god he hated her petting his hair._

"I want them," Pansy whined, "you should give them to me." She pouted as if she thought the look to be endering.

Draco only frown and moved away, "Can't." he scowled as she tried to pet him some more. He dropped the balls into his school bag and ignored Pansy's round, flat, pouting face.

He looked past her trying to find a head of fly-away blond curls, dreamy eyes and radish earrings' in the sea of students."They're a friend's."

Dreamy blue met cold gray and Draco Malfoy smiled.

* * *

So, there you have it, should I write more? Is this more than enough? What happens next? Does Luna get her balls back? No one knows, I surely don't! I got the idea from what if Luna was friends with Peeves, I think there could be more but would you like more? XD

Well all this and that a one shot for now, tell me what think! Tell me what should happen, tell me if there should be more! I really love hearing what you readers think :3 Till next time, ha det bra!


	2. Lesson Two

Oh my~! A second Chapter XD I mostly just wanted to write peeves' little song. Hopefully I'll come up with better songs for him later .

* * *

"That, that witch!" Ginny fumed, she was storming up and down the near empty 2nd floor, East hall. Ginny was rampant about the newest injustice committed by the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher: _Dolores Umbridge_.

From day one, the vast majority of Hogwarts students found Professor Umbridge lacking, by the end of the first week, they _detested_ her. They loathed **everything** about her, from her fake little coughs to the depraved quill students used in her detentions to the velvet bow she wore atop her toad like head. It was no wonder most students had taken up a new hobby: Toad Bashing.

Today, Peeves had joined Luna and Ginny in yet another round of Toad Bashing. The school poltergeist loathed the new professor more than most of the students; the fact that she had been trying _very, **very,** _hard to get him banished from Hogwarts had not escaped Peeves' notice and only enraged him farther. Unable the outright attack the toad like woman he instead took great joining every instance of Toad Bashing he could. Peeves considered it his personally duty to rally the students of Hogwart against Umbridge. Today, was one such day, Peeves floated along after Ginny reminding her of just _how_ awful Umbrigde could be.

"Really though," Ginny huffed, pacing before a suit of armor as if it was listening to her. "detention for wearing Spectrepecs!"

"Over the top! Unneeded!" Peeves shouted from inside the suit of armor. "She needs a chalking!"

"I believe the detention was more about the Wakspurts, than the Spectrepecs." Luna stated, calm and dreaming as ever while she fingered the bright red raised welts on the back of her hand. "She's just inflexible, she's so close-minded she makes Hermione seem accepting."

"_Wicked witch! Wicked, wicked, witchy witch! No one likes wicked witchy witches_!" Peeves sang loud as he could, swooping 'round the two girls.

Luna turned her large eyes on Ginny, doing her very best to ignore the faces Peeves kept pulling, "I just have to be more careful about what I say in class, that's all. Then she can't give me anymore detentions."

"_The wicked witchy witch is gonna get hers!_" Peeves sang floating belly up. "_The wicked, wicked, witchy witch, no one likes a witchy witch, no one like the wicked toad!_" He followed this up by blowing a particularly large raspberry at Ginny.

Ginny ignored him, instead she pouted, '_How, just __**how**__, isn't Luna upset?'_ she thought. If it was Ginny you could be sure she'd have kicked up a stink, going to Professor McGonagall and the Head Master, Professor Dumbledore. But neither Harry -nor Luna it seemed- were willing to rat Professor Umbridge out.

Huffing Ginny grabbed Luna's wrist, "Come on then, we still have time for breakfast if we hurry."

* * *

Peeves had followed Luna and Ginny as far as the 1st floor where he caught sight of a group of first year Hufflepuff boys who were, in his words, "_begging to be pelted with chalk."_ So, speeding away to terrorize some first years Peeves left Luna and Ginny.

As usual, the dining hall was filled with a dull roar of silver wear on plates, chanting, owls and the scratching of quills racing to complete left over essays before class.

Luna followed Ginny to the Gryffindor table where she squeezed in between Ginny and Ron. Ron was to busy begging help of Hermione to notice the blond addition in a sea of red hair.

"If I keep doing all your homework you'll never learn!" Luna noticed that despite this, Hermione still pulled the essay towards herself.

"Heard you got detention," Fred –or was it George- said, dropping heavily onto the seat across from Luna.

George –or was _he_ Fred- sat down beside his twin. "We keep looking for a way around that nasty quill." He lamented, shaking his head.

"No luck?"

**"None.**" The twins replied together.

"Well," Luna smiled at the twins as she got up to move to Ravenclaw table. "if anyone is going to do it, I'm betting 10 gallons on you two." And with that, Luna stood left to finish her breakfast with the rest of her Ravenclaw classmates.

* * *

Well there you have it! My second Chapter! What did like? more importantly, what did you hate? Sorry, I wanted to have this up sooner but my mum is in the hospital, nothing to bad! Just a broken wrist, but she had to stay for a few days so I stayed with her. Hopfully the next chapter will be up sooner and will be even longer! Till then, this is all I've got for you. Let me know what you think okay XD

till next time, ha det bra!


	3. Lesson Three

_TADA! Chapter three is here for you! My lovely fans :3 this was meant to be up earlier but my internet was down. _

* * *

As Christmas drew ever nearer Hogwarts was soon full of Christmas decorations; 12 trees filled the great hall, tinsel glittered in every hall, mistletoe was hidden over every bench and in every alcove and, yet again, the suits of armor were charmed to sing holiday songs. To Luna, who had seen very few Christmas trees, found it all rather overwhelming the first time. She thought it looked as if Father Christmas himself had attacked the castle with holiday cheer. To her it seemed overdone compared to Christmas at home as her father –never one to remember, let alone decorate for _any_ holiday- hadn't even set up a Christmas tree once, it had always been her mother, and it was usually a very small tree.

Peeves took great pride in helping to spread holiday joy. The poltergeist had taken to hiding in suits of armor and belting out insults during carols and pelting students with Christmas bobbles and colorful glass ornaments.

It was the day many students were heading home for the holiday, on this day Luna was not heading home for once, instead she had opted to stay at the castle for the holiday and was making her way to Gryffindor Tower to met Ginny. It was also, that despite being at least one floor above Peeves, she could still hear it when he started shouting over a suit of armor singing '_Holy Night_'. She also heard the surprised the screams of what had to be six or seven girls. Giggling Luna made her way down the fifth floor hall, beams of white early morning light fell in strips across the hall and bright, fresh fallen, pristine white snow shimmered blindly outside like a blanket across the lawn.

It wasn't till Luna turned onto the seventh floor corridor that she met anyone else, a blond boy was lounging against the wall next to a perfectly good bench.

"You shouldn't stand there." Luna called out, warning the boy down the hall as she made her way towards him.

"Oh?" He smirked, looking up at her, blond hair shining in the bright sunlight.

Shocked Luna almost tripped, the boy, was **Draco Malfoy**. "W-well," Luna stumbled before plowing right on, quiet sure she'd get laughed at, "Nargles live in mistletoe, they're notorious thieves."

"I think I'll risk." He responded, smirking. "So, what's a little Ravenclaw girl like you doing so far from your tower? Shouldn't you be heading home for Christmas break?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing, you're awfully close to the Gryffindor tower."

Draco kept smirking as Luna sat herself on the bench beside him.

"I'm hiding if you must know."

Luna couldn't help smiling and had to work very hard to choke back her giggle. The _Great Draco Malfoy, Hiding! _ "I'm waiting for Ginny myself, why are you hiding?" Luna couldn't help pestering Draco, he was being half way descent for once, and she was going to make the best of this opportunity.

Looking away down the hall Draco let out a very put upon huff and leaned farther back against the wall. He didn't say anything for a few moments just peered down at Luna through his long blond lashes till he let his eyes slip shut. "Pansy Parkinson," Draco finally said, "I'm hiding from Pansy because she's somehow gotten it in her head that I like her."

"Well," Luna began, doing her very best to be polite and _not_ laugh. "You do let her play with your hair an awful lot. Any girl would think you like them." She reminded him simply watching dust motes glimmer in the sun light.

Draco just snorted. "If that's all it takes you girls are sillier than I thought! I don't like her, I told her as much and here I am, hiding with you and the Nargles."

Smiling brightly Luna opened her mouth to reply only to have her words drowned out by a ruckus at the far end of the hall. The Ruckus happened to be Luna's best friend Ginny screaming her shock and rage at Luna's latest chose in convection partners.

"**Luna! Luna get over here! He's **_Slytherin**!**_" Ginny roared her face as red as her hair.

"She really hates me." Draco observed sounding downright pleased with himself.

"Oh don't feel too proud, most Gryffindors hate everything about you." Luna chipped happily standing, "Well I'm off."

And off she would have been if Draco hadn't caught her arm as she skipped past. His hand closed around her arm and pulled her about to face him as he bend down and _kissed her. _

_Draco Malfoy kissed Luna Lovegood on the seventh floor corridor._

"Mistletoe," was all the explanation he gave pointing up and releasing the shorter -though equally blond- girl.

"Oh."

"**DRACO YOU SNAKE!" **Ginny screeched barreling down the hall toward the pair. "**Don't You Touch Her! Don't You Dare!" **She screamed grabbing Luna and pulling her swiftly away to a safe Slytherin free part of the caste.

In a daze Luna let herself be towed away, making appropriate sound of agreement as Ginny keep up a rather heated stream of curses all the way to the library. But the whole time all Luna could really think about was the kiss. '_That's a kiss? Just that little touch of lips? That's all? I was really kissed just now wasn't I, by Draco no less!'_

She tripped and stumbled a moment as a sudden horrifying thought hit her. '_I hope Pansy never finds out!'_

* * *

_I _would like to thank **TheBlackWerewolf282** who, despite being of few words has been great support, and the very caring and **Francesc****a Salazar** for supporting me and your kind words about my mum. __

_I'm very sorry about the lack of posts but I hope to get back into posting soon my hand and burns are doing better so I should have a new chapter up soon for Juggling, please wait for me! ___I'm hopping to post more, or just longer chapters. __I'm also so __**so **__**so **__**sorry that this took so long!**__ I meant to have been posting more but life happen, my mum got hurt, I had a pet die and I broke my right hand by getting it slammed it a car door then I got oil burns all over my legs x.x__

**Like I said above I feel really bad about taking so long with this but I'm trying my best I really am, I hope you'll keep reading, thanks for your time, I'll try my best not to waste it, till next time, ha det bra! 3**


	4. Lesson Four

**_I am so sorry for the wait life got in the way. I hope to have more later this week!_**

* * *

It had been weeks since Luna had been kissed by Draco. Despite having spent the entire winter break thinking the event over Luna felt rather undecided over the whole thing.

Did it _really_ count? Did the mean she had to date Draco now? _Were they dating already?!_ As if she knew, Luna found herself rather lacking knowledge on the subject of boys **and** kissing. Being a Ravenclaw she found this fact _very_ annoying.

The worst part for Luna had to be her lack of female friends. Such a delicate subject as this could not be broached with Ginny or Hermione. No, there was no way for Luna to ask Ginny and Hermione about this, they hated Draco with a _burning_ passion, not the Luna could really blame them.

'_What good_,' Luna thought pouting. '_are friends if you can't talk to them about boys?!_' Talking to someone about boys had always seemed like a big deal to Luna. For one, her mother had died when Luna was too young for an interest in such things and the subject had never come up before. For another thing, she had never had any reason to talk about boys, let alone have someone to talk to about them. She firmly believed that her father didn't count regardless of his statements to the opposite.

So, woefully lacking in the friend department, apart from Ginny and Hermione, Luna had Peeves, Moaning Myrtle and other assorted ghosts and paintings. Luna thought at least a few DA members could be counted among this short list of friends, members like Neville for starters. Luna then considered talking to Neville about boys and kissing and the idea was **beyond absurd**!

'_Nope, not going there!_' Luna squeaked, flushing with embarrassment at the thought. '_There is no way I am going to talk to _Neville_ about _kissing_! Especially not about **kissing Draco**!'_

Sighing she made her way to the 3rd floor girls bathroom and to Moaning Myrtle. "Looks like I'm stuck getting help from ghosts and painting." Luna told her shadow. "How pitiful!"

"Perhaps a Games Keeper then?" a gruff, cherry voice piped up from behind Luna.

The blonde turned to see the huge hair form of Hagrid, rose cheeked from the cold and covered in snow. Luna rather liked Hagrid and his class, he always had something new, _if albeit dangerous_, and never called her Loony Lovegood to her face or behind her back.

Luna smiled up at the half giant, "Well you'll probably be more help than a painting." She said.

"Oh aye, I believe my advice can top at least that," He smiled back. "Well go on; let's hear all about your boy troubles!"

"Who said anything about boy trouble?" Luna inquired, following Hagrid down the hall.

"Well," Hagrid lowed himself onto a rather sturdy bench dusting off snow. "You don't work at a school, long as I have, without pickin' up a thing or two. No girls ever had such a face without a boy being involved, so, out with it."

Biting her lip Luna took a seat beside Hagrid, thing on how best to start finally deciding on blunt honesty. "We're in different houses for one. And he's not exactly someone my friends would agree with."

"Ahhhh, a Slytherin then? They're not all as bad as Malfoy makes 'em seem."

Beating down an embarrassed flush Luna dropped her head, long blonde curtains of hair hiding her face. "I know, they might not like him. But he's . . . ." Luna trailed off, how could she describe Draco without Hagrid learning it was Draco she talked about? "He's nice to me . . . . He doesn't call me Loony."

Nodded sagely Hagrid hummed in deep thought. "Aye, that sort of thing can be important. You know, it's up to you whether you like 'em or not, but it's up to ye both to date."

"Yes, I suppose you're right."

Sitting on the sun warmed bench, snow melt and dripping of Hagrid hulking form Luna mulled this over.

"You _are_ right." She said again standing. Understanding hitting her like the light of the rising sun. "I can think this over as much as I want, I can think till my head falls off! But nothing is going to happen if he doesn't like me back!"

Flushed and excited but this ground breaking epiphany Luna hugged Hagrid about the shoulders before he could stand and bid him good day before setting off on her way down the hall.

* * *

**Next time! Does she let Draco know or wait? try guessing I plan to blindside ALL OF YOU!  
**

**Like I said before, I feel bad for the slow updates but life has a way of moving to fast though I have once again gotten myself bedridden so I'll hopefully have more time to type. Till next time, as always, ha det bra!**


	5. Lesson Five

**Oh ya! New chapter! Will they kiss again? :o**

* * *

With Hagrids words still heavy in her heart Luna ran, heart beating like a drum, feet pounding out the song of her desperation she ran head long into fate. Tripping over her feet as she half ran, half fell down moving stairs Luna made her way to the castle depths searching for. . . . _For what?_

Blonde hair a tangled mess she skidded to a stop. Chest heaving she took in the empty hall. Dark stones cast into sharp relief by the torches burning along the windowless walls, the only sounds her gasps for breath and the distant echoes of castle life far away.

'_What am I doing?'_ She asked herself. '_He kissed me. That's all, it doesn't mean anything. He never said he likes me and I don't even know if I actually like him.'_

Standing in the empty hall Luna caught her breath.

Looking about the carded her hands through the tangled silver blond mess atop her head, patted the dust from her skirt, and turned back the way she'd come.

"That's when I realized what Hagrid meant for me realize, that no matter how much you like someone you just can't force them to like you back. Whether you shout your feeling at them from the far end of the great hall during dinner or if you only whisper it to them in some dark empty hall." The petit blonde explained hopping up onto the bathroom counter. She found it to be a rather comfortable seat proved the resident ghost hadn't seen fit to flood the bathroom as was her nature.

"Yes you can!" The gloomy ghost shot back followed by a wicked grin. "Love potions aren't _actually_ illegal. Though, I can't see you ever brewing a _working_ Love Potion."

Moaning Myrtle then dissolved into giggles; Luna herself let the insult slid.

From her perch on the counter she began to swing her legs. "Oh yes, yes _very_ funny," Luna sighed. "I should have guessed a ghost wouldn't be much help."

"If you want help ask Ginny." Myrtle shot back pouting and dived headlong into her toilet.

Luna shook her head, as if she could talk to Ginny about this.

It had now been a week since Christmas break ended and Luna was no closer to an answer about the kiss.

Part or her kept running over the event, like a song stuck on repeat. Going over the kiss with an almost frenzied obsession, tearing over the one and only clue Draco had given at the time _"Mistletoe_". She had taken to repeating the word as she thought hoping it'd give her some idea as to the why of the kiss. The more she thought thinks over the more another part of her mind dismissed the whole thing as futile and trivial. The internal argument just made her more determined to figure things out.

"Mistletoe," Luna murmured under her breath: "Mistletoe." She played with the word rolling it around, tasting it. Slowing flipping the heavy paper of a herbalist text book only half reading the plant names she casght up in her thoughts she almost flipped right past the page she was looking for.

**MISTLETOE**

**The well-known Mistletoe is an evergreen parasitic plant, growing on the branches of trees, where it forms pendent bushes, 2 to 5 feet in diameter. It will grow and has been found on almost any deciduous tree, preferring those with soft bark, and being, perhaps, commonest on old Apple trees, though it is frequently found on the Ash, Hawthorn, Lime and other trees. On the Oak, it grows very seldom. It has been found on the Cedar of Lebanon and on the Larch, but very rarely on the Pear tree.**

She skimmed on over Descriptions of the plant, what it looked like where to find it. She glanced at the medicinal uses and barely examined the history. **Getting as far as: "Mistletoe was held in great reverence by the Druids**." She skipped farther along: "**They sent round their attendant youth with branches of the Mistletoe to announce the entrance of the new year. It is probable that the custom of including it in the decoration of our homes at Christmas, giving it a special place of honor, is a survival of this old custom." **

Struck with an idea Luna set the book aside a picked up another '**Pagan Traditions and Herbs'** She frowned at the title, she had picked up every book about plants when she entered the library regardless of title, but cracked the surprisingly new, leather-bound book open all the same, and flipping quickly, and purposefully through the pages. While she did not find the Mistletoe page right away she did come across a surprising promising chapter titled **'****Kissing Traditions'** with all its subchapters helpfully listed from '**Kissing spots'** which listed places like Blarney Stones and Kissing Benches to **'Religious Kissing' **which seemed to involve a lot of rings and finally** 'Special Occasions: -Kissing under Mistletoe –New Year's Kiss –Wedding Kiss**'. Flipping to the listed page Luna began to read, blonde head bent low over the page.

"**It is a Christmas custom for a couple who meet under a** **mistletoe** **to**** kiss****.** **Mistletoe is commonly used as a** **Christmas** **decoration, though such use was rarely alluded to until the 18th century. The tradition has spread throughout the English-speaking world but is largely unknown in the rest of Europe.** **The mistletoe is still hung up in farm-houses and kitchens at Christmas, and the young men have the privilege of kissing the girls under it, plucking each time a berry from the bush. When the berries are all plucked the privilege ceases. Some claim that the origin of the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe goes back to ancient** **Norse mythology. According to the myth, a goddess named Frigg had a son named Baldr. When he was born, she made all plants unable to hurt him. Yet she overlooked the mistletoe plant, and a god known for his mischief, Loki, tricked another god into killing Baldr with a spear made of mistletoe. The gods eventually brought Baldr back to life, and Frigg declared that mistletoe would bring love rather than death into the world. People then kissed under the mistletoe to obey the goddess, as well as to remember Baldr's resurrection.**"

At lasting having found her answer Luna felt more annoyed. Her first kiss, taken because of an old Norse myth turned worldwide tradition; one that most people were unlikely to know the meaning behind.

Working her way back to the Great Hall Luna let her mind wonder. Thinking about tradition, myths and deceptively simple kisses she made her way drifting through the maze of halls, hidden passages, and moving stairs that filled the castle walls.

It wasn't until Luna was almost knocked onto her butt that she was roused from her thoughts. Deep in some corner of her mind Luna took note of the hollow thud as something soft and heavy hit the stone floor. The rest of her mind was to stuck on the chest before her face and the hand gripping her upper arms, holding her up.

"Sorry, didn't see you there Lovegood." An all too familiar voice broke through the silence of the hall.

Slowing looking up Luna's pale blue eyes met a pair of shinning hard grey. "Sorry, I was. . . ." Luna trailed off, unsure as to say what she'd been thinking about with just a few words. "I was thinking about myths."

Draco nodded sagely. "Ahhh, yes, lots to distract you there."

He's hands were still on her arms but the grip had slackened and his hands now rested just above her elbows. Some instinct, thousands of years old, made Luna take hold of Draco's robes. The same instinct kept her eyes trained on his face.

'_Whatever Ginny says,_' Luna thought, watching sunlight come streaming in one of the huge vaulted windows to light up Draco's face and play in the highlights of his hair. '_He's beautiful.'_

"What are you thinking, right now?" The prince of Slytherin asked with a wicked grin as if he could read her mind.

Luna's hands tightened their grip in the soft cotton folds of jet black robes as her mind reached dizzyingly for an answer, a proper answer. One that couldn't lead anywhere near her last encounter with Draco.

"About sunlight."

It seemed the safest answer.

"You?" Luna would never know what prompted her to ask such a dangerous question.

Draco smirked, if not for his hands momentarily tightening in reply the look might have been mocking. "Same." Somehow it felt more like an inside joke for friends.

The resulting silence was calm and soft. There was the normal far off echo of castle life, the buzz of chatter, the subdued stamped of thousands of feet, bird and owl calls, all of it sounded with a muffled far off urgency in another world. A world outside this one corridor inhabited only by the two of them.

The stifled thump of foot falls and the murmur of conversation drew louder, closer, and broke through.

Draco was the first to step back, to draw away and released Luna in the doing so. He picked up a dropped book, all black leather and no decipherable title in the pealing silver leaf.

He walked on then, making his way down the corridor, his face once more a cruel and mocking mask, and Luna made her way to the Great Hall.

* * *

**Well there you have it! 1579 words of teenage awkward! I am so proud of myself, a sat down and worked, and spent days putting it off and finally got it done! I hope you're happy, hopefully I have more next week! But until then, thanks for reading and reviewing it gives me so many happy feels.**

**Ha det bra! :3**


	6. Lesson Six

**Please forgive how long this took, sadly no peeves for chapter or the next BUT! PEEVES SHALL SOON RETURN!**

* * *

By the next morning all of Luna's previous problems seemed rather small, dwarfed in the face of recent events. Homework was just a task and a kiss under a bit of mistletoe suddenly didn't matter. It was all just the silly little problems of a silly little girl: something that Luna was abruptly and unexpectedly well aware of.

The kiss didn't matter because unexpectedly ten high-security prisoners were out of Azkaban.

The kiss didn't matter because, even if Luna hadn't believed Harry before, she would have now.

The kiss didn't matter because Harry had been right. He'd always been right, but now here was something that so obviously proved it but still no one did believe it; believed Harry.

* * *

The next day, was even more shocking than the last when Professor Umbridge unveiled her newest decree:

_**Educational Decree Number 26**_

_Teachers are hereby banned from giving students any information that is not strictly related to the subjects they are paid to teach._

* * *

Personally Luna felt it was a mistake, it didn't actually stop student from asking, if anything it just made people want to talk about even more. It also seemed to make the other Professors dislike Umbridge even more. Something that surprised Luna, she hadn't even thought that such a thing was possible.

By afternoon the teachers were all very choosy about their words and kept to groups in the halls, most of whom fell silent when students would walk by. At first all of the students had questions, all sorts, from the break-out and the new decree, to the weather. It didn't take long for student to stop trying to ask, but they did keep talking about the break out and such with each other, even if they had to be careful so as not to appear as a large group when doing so.

It didn't take long for Peeves to take full advantage of things and find yet another way to undermine Professor Umbridge. The poltergeist took to dropping eaves on professors just waiting for something interesting and then telling, or rather shouting it, at every student he could. As informative at the poltergeist had become Luna was just a little fearful that by doing this he'd really get himself kicked out of the castle.

Lucky Umbridge always seemed to just miss Peeves and his antics lately.

* * *

Overall, the mood of the castle had become rather dourer. People were afraid, prisoners were breaking out of Azkaban, and Umbridge was cracking her whip every chance she got. The thin silver lining for Luna remained the rare D.A. meetings.

Regretfully there was no such meeting today.

It was much too cold to go outside, and the mood of the common room was simply dismal. With little else to do, as Luna was always on top of all her homework assignments, the dreamy blonde took to the castle halls. Her last pair of shoes had gone missing, which left Luna rather bare-footed, she was hoping to hunt down at least one pair on her small excursion.

In one practically bright hall, Luna took note of the way the sun beams made a mottled path down the long passage, the stones were sun warmed and very pleasant on her bare feet. With no other pressing matter in need of attending Luna decided to enjoy the feeling, taking her time skipping up and down the hall bare-footed and beaming.

"Looks like someone's having fun," Came the cool drawl of an all too familiar Slytherin.

"Oh yes, the stones are actually rather warm here, it's very pleasant." Luna explained, her eyes on the sun spotted stones as she skipped from one bright patch to another in a wobbly circle.

Luna barely noticed the actively behind her as she danced and hummed her way through a made up tune. She did notice when she almost skipped right into a broad chest, robes decorated with a pair of shinny pins, one; the silver 'I' of the Inquisitorial Squad created by Professor Umbridge, the second; the silver and green 'P' of a Slytherin Perfect. She didn't have to look up to know that it was Draco that had once more caught her arms. But she found great amusement in the fact that he too had abandoned his shoes.

Draco was scowling at her when she looked up at him, but somehow, it didn't seem to reach his eyes. The expression looked more like mask than it ever had.

Luna frowned and extended one hand up to Draco's brow, the boy closed his eyes in response as she softly working out the furrow there. "You shouldn't lie like that, even if it is just your expression."

The Slytherin Perfect's eyes snapped open at that, wide, searching, and just a hint . . . anxious? At some point Draco had gather both hands of the younger blonde in his, he'd even taken a step back. Something, deep in the back of his mind, was terrified of just how much the dreamy dotty Ravenclaw might know.

"You're . . . afraid, why?" There was something, deep in Draco's eyes that told her she was right. Something else told her that she was unexpectedly, suddenly, very much involved in everything in a way she hadn't been before.

"I'm not afraid of anything." Draco scoffed, and without missing a beat, he stepped back, drawing away, closing himself off, Luna could see it in his eyes. She could see it the way she'd seen the light of a thought or idea grow dim and die in people's eyes, but this was different, more like a door being slammed. The Ravenclaw found herself getting rather irritated at this however irrational the feeling was.

"You're being quite rude, you know?" The angry in Luna's voice caught both her and Draco by surprise.

The Slytherin though, was the first to recover, a cruel sneer marring his pale handsome face, he stared the petite Ravenclaw down. "It would seem that you haven't quite noticed yet Loony Luna Lovegood, but I _**am**_** rude**."

The boy's use of Luna's hated nickname was too much; she snapped. Before she even realized it herself, Luna had reached out and slapped that smug look right off Draco Malfoy's face with all her might. He'd been the only one who hadn't called her 'Loony Lovegood'.

"You never called me Loony before! Don't you dare start now Draco Malfoy!"

Since coming to Hogwarts everyone had taken to calling Luna 'Loony Lovegood', her classmates called her 'Loony', Harry, Ron, Neville, even Ginny, her best friend, had let it slip out now and then! The Teachers had even called her 'Loony Lovegood' now and then, mostly by mistake, as if Loony were her name instead of Luna! Everyone called her Loony, everyone . . . _everyone but Draco._

But now, even he was calling her 'Loony Lovegood'.

Scowling Draco rubbed at his smartening cheek. "God Lovegood, what's the mat-" He stopped short then, Luna's tears brought him up short. It shouldn't have, but it did. One crying girl shouldn't matter, Draco made a sport of hurting feeling, he'd made others cry all the time but this was different, this was Luna and Luna's expression was full of rage. Her cheeks flushed with anger and furious tears streamed down her face. She wasn't weak and hurt, she was ready to fight and it was the first time she'd looked so intense.

Reaching out Luna grabbed the front of Draco's robes "You've never called me 'Loony Lovegood'," She wasn't quite shouting, not by a normal person's standers anyways, but this was Luna, and Luna was specking much louder than usual. "Everyone always calls me 'Loony', but not you! The Ravenclaw's voice was thick with tears but still determined and still stern. "You're not allowed."

Faced with such a reaction Draco stood still, watching, waiting. "Fine," The Slytherin began coolly, "I won't call you '_Loony_'." He replied, he words like a bucket of ice water on Luna rage.

As quickly as it had come, the fight went out of Luna, it was the first time Luna had let out such an outburst of raw emotion and she found the whole ordeal rather exhausting.

Feeling quite shaky Luna found her legs were suddenly weak in the aftermath, and try as she might, standing was just too much at the moment. Luna let herself drop to her knees, and fall back a bit to sit heavily on the sun warmed stone. Hair falling forward, Luna let her eyes rest on the stones between her knees. Draco, with his robe still trapped in Luna's hands followed, crouching much more gracefully than the other blonde.

Well out of his depth by this point Draco didn't feel it was right to just leave Luna alone, but he didn't really know what he should be doing. Draco was at a loss, Luna was good, and kind, and so pure it hurt. He'd never admit it, but he liked that about her. Luna was so brilliant, she'd never judged him, nor blamed him, for his father crimes or views. But here he was hurting her, cruelly and intentionally too. What else could he do though? Luna was getting to close; she was getting close to him, close to a world she shouldn't be involved in. Draco, well he suffered no disillusions as to just what sort of person he was: he was cold, cruel, and hard. Luna was much too soft, and Draco knew if he let her get to much closer to him he'd only ruin her. Seeing Luna like this, crumpled and exhausted with her head bowed, Draco couldn't be more certain of just how much he'd destroy her if this kept up.

Either way, he didn't leave her.

It was a long time before Luna finally loosened her grip on Draco's robes, but neither moved, and neither spoke. Far away, as if in another world, castle life went on, Peeves undermined the dreadful Professor Umbridge, Fred and Gorge pulled a prank, Harry and Ron spoke in hushed tones about whether or not Malfoy really was a Death Eater, and Hermione helped someone with their homework. Luna remind on her knees, hiding behind a curtain of hair, Draco sat back on his heels before her. Neither moved nor spoke, and the spell that kept them separate from the rest stayed in place, as it always did when the two were alone. When the silence was finally broken it was done by Luna, but somehow the spell remained, and Draco and Luna stayed apart of their own world, where nothing could touch them, and the only thing that truly matter was the other person before them.

"You never said why you're afraid." The Ravenclaw mumbled, unable to come up with anything better, but the silence had long past comfortable.

"I said I'm not afraid." Draco shot back briskly.

"And I said stop lying." Luna replied, her voice as dreamy as ever. She couldn't say why this mattered anymore, just that it was Draco and thus it did.

Draco huffed; he could see where this was going. "Yes, and then I called you 'Loony' and we fought, and you cried and I made an ass of myself. Do you want to repeat all that?"

"No, I want you to stop lying."

"Well I won't!" Draco yelled, grabbing Luna's face and forcing her to look at him.

"Why? What could be so bad that you can't tell me?" Demanded the younger blonde, she took Draco's arms in her own hands as he held her in place. If he wanted her to look at him she'd look, she'd look long and deep, delving into him through the doorways of his eyes. Luna would happily oblige. Almost instinctively Luna could see the shadow of some dark secret in Draco's eyes; she could see the truth bubbling up with his frustration, with his stress and anxieties, coming up with all the emotions he kept behind his flawless mask. And the moment before he could say it, Luna could see it:

_He was, or was going to become, a Death Eater._

"**I'm a Death Eater!**_**"**_ Draco growled, the words slipping out, escaping him without his meaning to speak them.

* * *

**At 2,039 words this is the longest chapter yet! I'm sorry for taking so long but stuff happened and I took some time to plan out the next few chapters so for a while at least the shouldn't be to long of a wait. The problem is that this started as a one shot, but then I had an Idea for a second chapter, and then a third and so on till we find our-self here. So thanks for waiting, I'll try to hike up my skirts and get on move on, and so long as one person wants to see this to the end I'll write, just for you. **

**With that said, till next time, ha det bra!**

**Solariaa :3**


	7. Lesson Seven

_** A Death Eater, **__**I'm a Death Eater!**_

The words echoed, not within the hall, but within the minds of the pair still crumpled on the floor. Neither had expected that the truth would be so loudly admitted and in the silence each turned the words over and over, each letting it sink in.

Draco had expected Luna to move away at the confession, but she didn't. She stayed as if frozen in place, her grip on him tightening by reflex, eyes staring deep into his as if she could read him like a book if only she looked long and hard enough.

She didn't move, and neither did Draco.

Grip loosening, Draco dropped his hold on Luna's face to settle his hands on her shoulders for a moment before he slid his hands farther down to rest at the crook of her elbow.

Luna waited a moment before her hands moved, yanking the sleeves of Draco's robes and shirt to his startled protests, baring his skin she turned each unmarked arm over examining them, "No Dark Mark, sure it wasn't a dream?" She said, still staring at the skin as if from the right angle the mark would appear.

While he didn't pull away Draco did pull a face. "It's not, I'm not one yet." He had no clue why he was talking about this with Luna Lovegood of all people but he'd already admitted to the fate promised to him by his father, why stop now?

"Did you ask to be one? Do you actually _want_ to be a Death Eater, or is this all because you're a Malfoy, because you're a Slytherin, because your father is a Death Eater."

It was hard for Draco not to laugh, here he was, confessing to a good friend and supporter of Potter the Golden Boy, and she was asking his motives. Asking why instead of running off to tell Potter. When considering his standing with all of Luna's friends she shouldn't even be near him, but she was. She was asking for his opinion, not telling or assuming anything. Luna was the first to have asked Draco if he even _wanted_ a dark mark on his arm, she was the first to even _try_ to understand. The only one –_save his mother_\- that acted as if they truly cared about Draco, was the supporter of his enemy.

The realization was a heavy weight in Draco's heart. Once more he was sharply reminded of their differences, of just how much _better_ Luna was than himself, not in standing of blood purity, or magical ability, but in quality of character.

"Does it even matter? It's all but a done deal." Draco admitted softly, with a bitter laugh as he let head fall, whether in shame or guilt or simply to avoid Luna's piercing gaze he couldn't say,

Her answer was a light, comforting squeeze. "It matters to me."

If you had given Draco hundred guesses, he would not have guessed that he'd find himself here, confessing his Soon-To-Be Death Eater status to Luna Lovegood, but if you asked who would be most likely to care to ask why, he would have said Luna Lovegood. In a way, Draco supposed that if he were to confess all his dark secrets to anyone, it would be Luna, and if anyone were to help him make sense of the mess his head had become it would be Luna.

The more Draco considered his current situation he realized that there was very few other ways this would have played out, and that no matter what something told him that so long as he continued to talk to Luna that sooner or later he'd find himself here, telling Luna the truth. Because no matter what Draco said, or how he acted, Draco could admit, _at least to himself_, that he was still just some stupid teen age boy dragged into something much bigger than himself, and that sooner or later he'd have to reach out to someone or risk losing himself. He could also admit that there was no one else he'd likely talk to about this other than Luna Lovegood. Moreover the Slytherin liked to think that this was a sign of maturely on his part, but that was still up for farther debate.

"I'm a Malfoy, my father was one; how could I not become a Death Eater too?" The blond boy confessed with a defeated sigh.

"I would imagine by choosing not to be."

"Oh yes," Draco laughed coldly, rocking back on his heels. Luna's way of making the whole matter sound as simple as picking breakfast cereal was pissing Draco off."How silly of me, I'll just _chose_ to betray my whole family, my friends, oh, and the Dark Lord himself. It's all so simple, why couldn't I see it before? Yes, I'll just betray my family, piss off the most powerful dark wizard of all time, and hope he doesn't get so angry that he kills me and my family for this."

Luna gave Draco a surprisingly dark look, to which he responded with a snort of derision. "Sound like a stupid idea yet or shall I keep going?"

"You've made your point quite clear," Luna muttered indignity.

A tense silence fell between the pair, still situated on the floor, this was not the sort of conversion either party had ever planned for and thus neither was quite sure where to go from here. Still neither, Draco nor Luna, were quick to leave. Despite the surreal feel of their current circumstance both were well aware that something was changing, the longer they sat there, the more the pieces fell together, each one causing a tiny shifting in their relationship, from whatever they had been to whatever they ever about to be. Each change like a drop of water, tiny, almost insignificant on its own, but each change fell one upon another, building, collecting, growing, until the tiny drops became on ocean of change.

An ocean of change that washed over the blonde pair, sweeping them up in the moment and leaving them dazed in its wake.

It was then, in a little used corridor, sitting on sun warmed stones, with the slowly dying sunlight falling through high windows that they kissed for the second time.

It was quick, hesitant, just a testing of the waters, seeing if this was what the other wanted, what the other would allow. They were still safe, still stuck in a spell that kept them far away and separate from the rest of the castle, from their problems and their secrets.

"There's no mistletoe," Luna noted, to Draco's immense amusement.

"No, there isn't, that wasn't really why I'd kissed you the first time anyways."

"Then why did you kiss me the first time?"

For Draco, that was a hard question to answer. How much should he tell Luna? How much _could_ he tell her? Figuring that he had already told the Ravenclaw girl the worst of it by admitting his Death Eater status Draco decided he could let this much slip too.

"Because I wanted too."

* * *

**There you go, 1225 words of raw emotions, up next? Ginny and Luna! Okay, I'm gonna get to work on the next bit, hope you enjoyed this one, as always, till next time, ha det bra!**

** Solariaa :3**


	8. Lesson Eight

'_Because he had wanted too,'_

With an abruptness that hurt Luna was sharply reminded of her previous fretting over her first kiss having been stolen by some silly pagan superstition. It seems that despite the evidence she'd been wrong. On top of all that Luna had to admit she wasn't at all opposed to the idea of kissing a would-be Death Eater and the head of the Inquisitorial Squad. Something she felt should bother her a whole lot more than it did, but Luna would over analyze that later tonight when she was alone with her thought.

Right now, she could think of better ways to spend her time, so she moved forward to kiss Draco. The third kiss wasn't like the first two; there was no more hesitation, no more questions, just the simple act of kissing.

"I'm supposed to become a Death Eater."

"I know,"

"The Dark Lord, he-"

"He isn't here," Luna cut off Draco's protest.

With a deep shaky breath Draco gathered Luna in his arms, neither one really knew what they were doing, kissing, barefooted, when they both had other pressing matters. But both were much more interested in snogging their enemy. Something none of their friends were likely to approve of. There was something about Draco, a sort of potential; hidden under all the choices he'd made when he felt there was no choice, and maybe for him there had never been a choice. But something told Luna it wasn't too late, he wasn't a Death Eater, not yet. While he was part of the Inquisitorial Squad, and she was part of Dumbledore's Army, they didn't have to bother with it, not so long as Luna didn't admit to breaking any educational decrees. Draco didn't know about the DA, and Luna wasn't going to betray everyone.

"Draco," Luna said, moving back enough to watch the Slytherin's face but still remaining safely tucked in his embrace. "No sides, no Harry verses Voldermort verses Professor Umbridge. Don't lying to me, if you have to don't tell me. But no matter what, just don't lie to me."

The request, a common one among lovers -_through whether or not Luna and Draco could be considered lovers was another matter- _'**Don't lie to me**' it seemed simple enough on the surface. Whether Draco would actually be both willing and able to subject Luna to the truth and subsequent horrors of his world was up for debate. Looking deep into the dreamy eyes of the dotty blonde Draco was willing to trust her, trust that she wouldn't betray him, trust that she was strong enough to shoulder any burden he shared with her, and trust that no matter what else he told her that her feelings, _whatever they maybe_, wouldn't change.

"No lying," He echoed back, and in that moment, he meant it.

* * *

It hadn't taken long for Luna to leave after that, the sun was slowly sinking lower and Luna still hoped to find at least one pair of her missing shoes, something Draco laughingly promised to keep an eye out for. With quick kiss, and hands that couldn't quite let the other go, they parted.

Later that night, Luna lay awake a little longer than normal, the whole event on repeat, picking apart the details and questioning each choice they had made. Somehow she didn't regret it; Draco was, as considered by her friends, the enemy. He was one part of the Inquisitorial Squad and she was both an avid Harry supporter and a member of the DA, by all accounts she should stay well away from the Slytherin Perfect.

With a deep breath Luna wondered how she would ever be able to keep her distance from Draco. Kissing him was like breathing, being in his arms was warm and welcoming, almost like coming home. So long as she kept well away from any mention of sides it would be just fine.

Or so Luna told herself.

* * *

All through Charms class Ginny kept giving Luna funny looks, looks that said Ginny could read Luna like a books and what she read told her that something was up, looks Luna was well aware of. She hated to admit it, but something was up. She had spent a good amount of time snogging the school bully and enemy –_in some case even the arch nemesis_\- of well most of their mutual friends; Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, and at least 65% of the DA. That wasn't something she could really tell her best friend, lucky the class was spent working on unlocking charms, thus giving Ginny no real, nor any plausible, reason to ask Luna too many questions.

Unfortunately they both had lunch next and Luna couldn't avoid Ginny's bombardment of questions forever. The Great Hall was full of student eating lunch and trying to get homework done before afternoon classes or study for a test. The hall was always loud at meal times, lunch was probably the worst, everyone well wake, not yet tired from a full day of classes, and often trying to bully or beg friends into help each other study.

"Okay what's going on?" Ginny commanded, dragging Luna to sit with her at the Gryffindor table. Luna fell gracefully into the seat beside her friend, stuffing a roll in her face to buy time as she best consider both what she could safely say and how to explain what had happened.

"Nothing much," Luna replied her tone as dreamy as ever.

Ginny just snorted and started grabbing food herself. "Surely something happened yesterday; you've got a funny look to you today, like you can't stop thinking about something."

"Well I did try looking about for my missing shoes, but I could only find a pair and a half." Luna explained, as Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Come on, that can't be it."

"I think I'll check the astronomy tower after classes today,"

It was quite obvious that Ginny believed there to be more to the story, a lot more, it was just as obvious that Luna wasn't going to say too much more on the subject. A position made all the more obvious when Luna turned to question Neville on the book that lay open before him.

Let the matter rest for moment Ginny took the time to mull over what could have possibly happened. "Did someone bull you?" The red head prodded, interrupting Neville's as he explained something about some plant or another.

"Well he did call me Loony, but he apologized right after, so I don't believe that counts." Luna admitted, more to herself as she thought aloud.

"Who's 'he'?" That was all it took, Ginny had latched right onto the only shred of information Luna had let slip.

"Do we know him?!" Neville was getting just as involved in the conversation now.

"Well yes, he does go to Hogwarts after all," Luna said not giving up any more information than that. She wasn't exactly lying, just not say much. Luna also wasn't lying when she said she'd left a book in her dorm and ought to get it before class, well the book in question was a history book, and she didn't have history till next morning, she did have history homework she could look over, it had been finished before but it never hurt to double check ones homework. It was with that flimsy excuse that Luna made herself scarce.

* * *

**Okay, I'm getting better at this whole 'regular update' thing huh? XD shhhh, I'm proud of myself! Well there's something, next we have more Luna and Ginny, and I'm planning on some Pansy too! So be excited! As ****always, till next time, ha det bra!**

**Solariaa :3**


	9. Lesson Nine

**Yes yes, I know this is a bit late, but hey better late than never right? XD**

* * *

Over the next few weeks Luna found herself fielding question over this mysterious 'him' to which she would admit that while yes they had kissed, that no they were not dating, she would also say that he was blond, one of few people who didn't call her 'Loony Lovegood', older, a student of Hogwarts, and a bit cocky but he quite nice to her. All of it true, none of it outright leading anyone to Draco.

It wasn't a game Ginny was too keen on. Something she loudly declared in a DA meeting.

"I thought we were friends!" Ginny yelled, hurling a curse at Luna with more enthusiasm than necessary.

Luckily everyone else was yelling, and Luna, with a practiced flick of her wand, deflected the curse. Today was dueling practice, the spells didn't matter much, just deflecting or hitting, and not too far away Harry was doing his best to watch everyone as he once again showed Neville the wand movement to disarm Terry Boot. It was during one with his routine visual sweeps that he noticed the two friends dueling with a rather personal passion, unlike the rest of the DA; half of whom were dead serious or joking around with every tickling charm that hit the mark.

Luna frowned at this, "Just because I won't tell you," she began, throwing another curse back. "Doesn't mean we're less friends than we were last month." Luna retorted her calm as unbreakable as ever, even in the face of Ginny fierce rage at some perceived betrayal.

By now people kept turning to look, something Harry noticed and decided it best to see just what was going on, so he told Neville to just keep practicing with Terry, as he had the general idea –_which Neville did, it was surprising how he kept messing it up_. Harry's approach was somewhat slowed by the volley of spells the two girls kept throwing at each other, once he was close enough he attempted to clear his throat, loudly, hoping to catch the attention of at least one of the friends.

His hope was very up in vain.

"You're not even dating! Come on, what about his house? What house is he in?"

"A Hogwarts house," came Luna's completely un-helpful reply followed by a disarming spell that almost disarmed Harry of his glasses.

"Excuse me!" Harry declared loudly, this whole argument having gone on more than long enough in his books.

"Hello Harry," Luna said pleasantly, "So about that, I didn't see you there."

Harry just rolled his eyes, "Yes I figured as much. Now what's all this about?"

"Girl talk." Ginny pointedly said, giving Luna a look that said while Harry could try to stop the conversation while they were in DA meetings the whole mess was merely paused and in no way over.

It wasn't until Harry gave all of the nearby dueling pairs expecting looks that Luna and Ginny realized that most of them had stopped to watch as the girls duel took a rather personal turn. Now everyone snapped back to their pairings, some even had the grace to look ashamed, _but not many_. With an almost understanding hum Harry turned back to his best friend's sister and Luna.

"Ahh, well I wanted to talk to Luna about her stunning spell, mind if I cut in?" It was a surprisingly cunning move on Harry's part, and one Luna readily agreed too, her stunning spell did leave much to be desired either way.

* * *

Deep in the dark recesses of the castle library Draco was enjoying a quiet afternoon.

The weather was irrelevant, clingy Pansy had been successfully avoided, Crab and Goyle had long since gotten bored of all the books and quiet and soon left to go terrorize younger students, thus allowing Draco to read in peace with a rare potions book open upon the table before him. Yes, he was quite enjoying his afternoon, thank you very much.

All too soon Draco's quiet was disturbed by a part of voices.

"Why won't you just tell me already?"

Draco knew that voice, he head shooting up before he sunk lower in his seat, half trying to hide, half try to ignore the ruckus on the other side of the book shelf beside him.

"Because I don't see how it's all that important." Came the distracted reply.

Surprised Draco realized he knew _that_ voice too. Okay that was all too surprising, when Draco took a moment to actually use his head he remember that to two _were_ friends after all.

"If it isn't all that important why not just tell me?" The first person pressed.

"Why do you care so much?" The girl replied, still sounded rather distracted.

There was the sound of shuffling books on the far side of the shelf.

"No real reason,"

"By no real reason you mean Ginny don't you?"

"I- wha-what?! No! I mean, I just. I'm just curious?" The first person was obviously flustered.

"I really don't understand why you and Ginny won't just drop this already. Now if you'll excuse me I have an astrology project first thing tomorrow, I'll see you around."

"Yeah, okay, bye then. Oh hey, Hermione wanted to talk to you, something about meeting up during the Hogmead weekend."

"Oh right, I'll go find her later on, see you later Neville."

There was a shuffling then, people walking, one away, the other came around the far end of the bookshelf and a petite blonde girl sat down across the table from Draco.

"Lovegood," Draco greeted, not looking up, hiding his amused smile in the potions book until he could wipe it off his face.

"Malfoy," she replied in kind, without hiding the hint of an amused smile on her face.

"An 'Astrology Project' was it?"

Luna shrugged, her dreamy smile taking on a decidedly mischievous tone as she fiddled with the stack of books and papers she'd just set down. "It's already finished."

Softly shutting the potions book Draco shot Luna a scandalized look, "Lying now are we? Weren't you the one to tell me that it's wrong to lie?"

"It's not exactly lying; I just said that I had a project,"

It was both calming and unnerving for Draco to be so close to Luna. She was too easy to be friends, too carefree, too familiar, and too accepting of his flaws. But he still wanted to be with her, more and more, each moment Draco spent with Luna was a moment he wanted to be closer.

This girl was going to be the death of him, he was sure of it.

Not that it was going to stop him.

Leaning forward Draco gave Luna a positively wicked smirk. "I do fear," He began. "That I've been a _horrible_ influence on you."

"I do believe you're right." Luna replied, leaning forward herself.

All it took was a slight shift, just a few inches, and Draco wasn't exactly sitting anymore, he was leaning across the table, once more kissing Luna. He found he just couldn't help himself around her. It was like gravity; he was forever being pulled in, and he couldn't stop himself anymore than he could float without magic.

Readily, Luna returned Draco's kiss, she found that each time she enjoyed it a little bit more than the last.

So engrossed in each other neither registered the sound of approaching footsteps.

They did spring apart, more out of surprise than anything else at surprised gasp and hallow thud of books falling as someone saw them and ran.

Neither Luna nor Draco got a look as whomever it had been that had seen them, just a flurry of Slytherin skirts, robes, and dark hair.

* * *

**Oh my! XD Caught kissing such a scandal! Who do you think saw them? Once more, I am sorry for the wait, but life just sort of happens, that said more to come soon, and thanks for waiting on me all the time, till next time, ha det bra! :3**


	10. Lesson Ten

**Okay, chapter 10 is here! Please enjoy!**

* * *

Something had changed after that day in the library, it what a slight shifting, a change in the air. Whether real or in her head Luna couldn't say, She also couldn't say why having been seen bothered her as much as it did, sure she had kissed Draco but it's not like they were actually together. Somehow though it bothered Luna, someone had seen them but no one had said anything to her about it. Normally something like this would be all over the school in a matter of minutes, she'd seen it happen every time Ginny got a boyfriend. But days passed and nothing seemed to change.

Sure Luna ran -_literally at times_\- into Pansy Parkinson more that normally and the slytherin girl seemed even more nasty than normal but one couldn't surely call that particularly out of the ordinary.

Even the one time Luna had found herself 'accidentally' pushed down a flight of stairs by Pansy wasn't all that different from Pansy's usual behavior. Luna was still thankful for having fallen forward into the Weasley twins, they were quite nice even if they did play a lot of messy pranks.

No beyond all that something was changing, it was a calm before the storm. A storm that hung over more than simple class work or Luna's small world of the D.A., Ginny, and Draco. It was more and Luna just couldn't pinpoint it.

* * *

The meeting with Hermione in Hogsmead went almost perfectly. Harry's story was exciting and compelling and Ms. Skeeter was actually taking it all quite seriously. Leave is to Hermione to put something like this together, the girl worked all sorts of magic! The only broken note was Harry's arrival, he'd seemed quite upset about something but Luna, not one to pry, didn't ask.

Among this near perfect outing Luna found her eyes drawn to the couples all around. She's never thought of Valentines day much before mostly due to a lack of anyone to celebrate with, maybe this year should have been different? Luna didn't know. Her and Draco had never spoken a word about just what kind of relationship they were in save the fact that the simply didn't touch of some subjects, namely anything even vaguely 'Harry' related. It was working so far, but their shared kisses didn't mean that they were together did they?

No, after long consideration Luna was firmly decided that kissing Draco did not mean they were in anyway together, nor did it mean she had any claim to his Valentine's day.

Now finished the interview with Hermione, Harry, and Rita Skeeter, Luna figured there was no point in hang around the couple filled Hogsmead and made her way back to the castle.

It was a fine day out, snowy and cold to be sure, but the snow was light and fleeting and the cold had little bite to it, all and all it could have been much worst. So what if Luna was to have yet another lonely Valentine's day, there were much worse things out there than not having a date. Luna had never minded such holidays before, why should Draco change that now?

"Besides," Luna told herself as she slipped into the castle, shaking snowmelt from her robes and cloak. "There's always next year."

Wet shoes squeaking Luna made her way up one flight of stairs and another, slowly working her way to the Ravenclaw dorms.

Upon stepping onto the 4th floor Luna paused brought up short by the girl before her. Pansy was standing in the middle of the hall, blocking the path, her arms crossed over her chest, and positively seething.

"Hello Loony Lovegood," Pansy grinned and the younger girl, her voice sickenly sweet with lies and anger. "On your way to steal someone elses Boyfriend?"

"I'm sorry?" To say Luna was confused would be to say that the sun was bright: A gross understatement. She didn't even register it as behind her flight the of steps shuttered and shook, turning away to make a new connection.

"**I SAW YOU WITH MY DRACO**!" The enraged girl screamed.

Moving to back up, to get away, to avoid the larger girls rage, Luna's foot only found empty air, she no place to go, no escape. Shocked Luna glanced behind her, sure enough the stairs were gone, leaving only open air to catch her should she step back.

Turning back to Pansy Luna was meet with a sharp slap.

Ears ring, cheek burning, tears in her eyes, Luna's knees felt weak.

"You little _**Slut**_!" Pansy spat at the Ravenclaw gasping for breath. "Draco is _mine._"

Cradling her face in her still chilled hands helped, it was all too obvious now that it had been Pansy who had seen Luna and Draco in the Library a few days ago. All too _painfully_ obvious.

Luna wanted nothing more than to back away from Pansy's oppressive rage, but the heels of her feet were already cresting the edge of the landing, still Pansy seemed to draw closer without even moving.

"If I see you with him again!" Pansy was screaming, but to Luna it was all white noise, just back ground sounds. All of that anger and all of those insults and death threats fell away in the face of the fact the Luna had to get away.

Pansy was twice her size, there was no way Luna could fight her, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

More shuttering and shifting and the upward flight of stair slowly began to move.

Turning away from the east 4th floor landing, away from Pansy and Luna, it was a way out and Luna wasn't about to waste it. Climbing on the the railing Luna didn't even stop to think; she merely jumped onto the moving flight of stairs before they could get to far.

Stunned Pansy took a moment to realize that her rival in love was escaping, but by the time her brain caught up with the real world Luna was half way up the moving staircase and in a flurry of robes she disappeared down a hall and deep into the 5th floor.

That didn't stop Pansy Parkinson from leaning on the railing to scream insults and threats after Luna.

* * *

**What a daring escape huh? I actually did something like that in school, only in was down and the stairs didn't move, that's how I got the idea. Enough about me though! XD**

**Thank you all for commenting! It makes me smile to hear that people like my story :3 so; Francesca Salazar, you TOTALLY guessed it! Pansy has arrived! FancyFangirl I'm glade you like it! Especially if you aren't the biggest fan of Druna, and Clancy1018 They aren't kissing here, sorry, but hey we can't always be kissing the people we like 24/7, I have tried it doesn't work. A huge thanks to the Guest comments! **

**I'm doing my best here between school and work and knowing you guys like it make it worth it so truely, thank you, and as always: till next time, ha det bra! :3**


	11. Lesson Eleven

Okay, I took sometime getting this one just right, and getting the majority of the story finished so I can try updates every week/ every other week like I want to. So I've got the basics all done up for the rest of this, here's to hoping I wont get off track!

* * *

_Loony!_

_Slut!_

_He's MINE!_

_Loony!_

_Bitch!_

_Stay away!_

_Loony! _

_MINE!_

_DRACO IS MINE!_

It hurt.

Pansy's hateful words echoed in the corridor after Luna, reverberating inside her head. Chasing her long after her escape, it was only after Luna was well and truly lost that she slowed down, her flat out running turning into a steady trot.

The hall was familiar, but then again, most hallways were in the castle; especially to Luna who so often took to wandering and exploring at all hours.

Stumbling to a stop, Luna was out of breath, flushed, and sobbing brokenly, she braced her hands on her knees trying to calm down and remember how to breath. She soon gave up sagging against a cool stone outer wall, nestled between a pair of frost covered windows.

Luna finally began to catch her breath.

With shaking hands she pushed her messy blonde locks back, twisting her hair up and spearing the dripping bundle with her wand. She was still in her damp robes and cloak, snow melting on her hair and clothes, her legs shaky and knees weak Luna fell to the floor in a very undignified heap. Half of her praying that no one found her as she fell apart, half wishing that someone would come along to help her pull herself together.

After a time of sitting in a growing puddle of snow melt Luna started scraping herself back together. Grounding herself listing things she could see and smell and feel.

"Five thing I can see," Luna told herself, looking up and down the hall; she started listing things, counting them off on her fingers. "One, a suit of armor, two, a painting, three, my shoes, four, the windows, five, a chipped brick in the wall." Luna said pushing back some damp hair that had escaped her earlier efforts.

"Four things I can feel," she began, tracing her hands over each item as she listed it. "My face for one, for a second, the frost on the windows, and the chipped brick in the wall, and four, the wet stone floor."

Closing her eyes Luna felt herself calming down. "Three things I can hear. The wind outside, the burning torch, and-" Luna stopped, she heard someone walking towards her.

She couldn't help herself, Luna prayed that by some miracle Ginny or maybe even Draco was coming. But then the footsteps turned away, passing Luna by without having even known she was there.

Unable to help herself Luna began laughing at her own foolishness, for a moment she had _actually_ believed Draco might show up. That he would show up and care enough to comfort her. That somehow Draco would come to her rescue, that he would hold her, dry her tears, and kiss away her pain. But he wasn't there, and he wasn't going to come.

Shaking herself Luna returned to her listing. "Three: someone walking away. Two things I can smell." The young Ravenclaw told herself firmly as she took a deep breath. "The torch burning and. . . . the oil used to polish armor."

Finally Luna had come to the end of her list and licked her lips, she hadn't even realized she'd biten it. "One thing I can taste: Blood."

When Luna was finally in control of all of her mental faculties Luna began tidying herself up, she was cold and wet, and rubbing at her tear stained face with her sleeve, and combing out her messy hair by hand. She also reminded herself that life wasn't some magical story where because it's Valentine's day the heroine's love interest shows up. People rarely showed up at the right moment in real life, and that wasn't about to change just because of the holiday.

She had to accept it, accept that she was no princess, and no prince was coming to save her. So, shaking out her dripping cloak Luna did her best to save herself and stood up.

* * *

Yes it's a little short, I'm sorry. But that's just how I wanted to end this one! Oh well, 12 should be sooner in coming than this was but I'll get there. Anyways thanks for putting up with me, and reading and just everything, thank you, and as always: till next time, ha det bra! :3


	12. Lesson Twelve

Over the next few days Luna found herself the target of more bullying that unsal. Almost 90% of it, came in the form or one Pansy Parkinson. It didn't take long for Ginny and many other members of the DA to notice the increase of harassment directed at Luna. Some, like Ginny, Neville, and fellow Ravenclaws like Anthony Goldstein, Terry Boot, and the Patil twins, took it upon themselves to hang around Luna and discourage the harassment.

"Ohh that Pansy!" Ginny raged, watching the Slytherin girl slip away after having thrown both Luna and her books to the floor. "Why if Professor Sprout wasn't _right there_." The youngest Weasley ranted checking just _how_ closely professor Sprout was watching, before turning to glare down the hall after Pansy. It was to late though; Pansy had disappeared in the crowd.

"It doesn't matter." Came the ever calm reply from Luna as she picked her books back up. "She's a bully, she'll always be a bully. You'll only get yourself in trouble."

Ginny pouted, it was clear on her that she was plotting all sorts of revenge.

"Come on Luna," Anthony announced having come up behind the girls. "I'll walk to transfiguration before Ginny here can Hex someone into next week!"

School was slowly growing to become rather fun for Luna. Ever since she'd joined the DA a lot of the members treated her rather well, most of them even stopped calling her 'Loony Lovegood' when she was about. Though Luna couldn't be sure if she was actually friends with every member of the DA there were many -_such as her fellow Ravenclaws Anthony, Michael, and Terry_\- that she was at the very least _friendly_ with, ever if they saw her as nothing more than Housemates, and that was quite nice in Luna's books.

"That's very kind Antho-" Luna began before she was cut off and dragged away.

Luna knew full well that Anthony would have to go to charms, in the other direction, but he was also a very friendly boy who seemed to find her stories endless amusing. He was forever asking her question and laughing at her answers, though it never once felt like he was making fun of her. More like he was easily amused than anything.

"That Pansy is getting really **bold** isn't she?"

Not sure what to say Luna kept her trap shut and let herself be lead away.

The halls were full between classes, and Anthony -_unlike Luna_\- had no trouble cutting through the crowds. "Luna, why do you let her?" The older Ravenclaw asked.

Caught off guard Luna had no idea what to say. "Let who do what exactly?"

Anthony just rolled his eyes. "Oh you know very well. Come on Luna, you're a smart witch, why do you let our housemates, your yearmates, why do you let _Pansy Bloody Parkinson_ bully you?"

It was a topic Luna, and Ginny, and Neville, and Ron, and the Patil twins, had all gone over more than once in the past. It would seem everyone but Draco was going to bother Luna about it, but then Draco and Luna hadn't spoken since before Valentine's day.

"I don't let them." Luna replied, as she had _every_ time the subject came up with _everyone_ that brought it up.

The door to Transfiguration was just around the corner when Anthony pulled Luna to a stop and made her look up at him.

It was one of few times Luna had ever seen the Ravenclaw looking so serious outside of the DA, he was looking at her the way he regarded most problems. As something to be thoroughly thought about then swiftly dealt with. It was how he looked in the DA meetings.

"I like you well enough Luna- _No, not like that, I don't fancy you_\- But. You're kinda, intuitive, and smart," He smirked then. "For all that you're 'Loony Lovegood'. So, act like the girl I know and deal with Pansy already." With the that the blond Ravenclaw messed up Luna's hair and pushed her off towards the open classroom door before turning on his heel and doubling back to Charms class.

With a half hearted sigh Luna blew some loose hairs from her face and got to class, thinking that maybe Anthony was right. Having Ginny worry was one thing, having a fellow Ravenclaw out right tell her she ought to do _somthing _was quite another.

But what _could_ she do?

* * *

It was the few quiet hours, between dinner time, and bedtime when all student had to be in the dorm rooms. Luna was taking advantage of the moment and walking through the empty halls until she came to an all too familiar hall. Somehow Luna had began thinking of it as 'Their' hall, as she often seemed to bump into Draco there. Something told Luna that those meetings weren't _all_ by chance.

Today Draco had beat her to 'Their Hall'.

There the Slytherin stood, '_He looks like some thoughtful prince, privy to all sorts of secrets that tell him about a coming storm_.' Luna though, the realization of _just_ how true that could be made her feel ice cold.


	13. Lesson Thirteen

**So this took a bit longer than expected, and I was hopping to make it longer but I really ought to be posting more! So, enjoy this weeks installment of Juggling!**

* * *

Today Draco had beat her to 'Their Hall'.

There the Slytherin stood, 'He looks like some thoughtful prince, privy to all sorts of secrets that tell him about a coming storm.' Luna though, the realization of just how true that could be made her feel ice cold.

* * *

Frozen by her own thoughts Luna stood watching Draco, unsure if he'd even noticed her arrival. He hadn't turned to look at her after all.

Time past, the sun continued to set, neither moved, and neither spoke. For Luna it felt like hours, for the rest of the world it was only seconds. Draco's eyes never left window he was staring through, but his lips did turn into a half smile.

"I haven't seen you around much. . . ." He stated, voice matter-of-fact, the slight smile already having slipped from his face.

With an uncharacteristically heavy heart Luna moved forward, joining Draco at the window. "I've been, busy." Her voice was small and quite.

With everything Pansy had been putting her through Luna was being to feel rather defeated. She found herself thinking that maybe, just maybe she ought to end whatever this was with Draco. It's not like they really loved each other, she told herself, right? They only talked, and kissed, and spent time together, they weren't dating or anything.

Neither Draco nor Luna turned to look at each other, but they both kept glancing at the other. Both of them watching the other from the corner of their eyes. Some unspoken rule, meant to keep each of them from getting to close, kept them from touching; kept them both a hairs breath from other with electricity dancing across their flesh.

It was exciting until Luna took a moment to really think about her relationship with Draco and his relationship with her friends. Being with him was like standing on a knife's edge, one step too far to either side and she'd end up betray someone.

'_It's over_', Luna thought.

'_Let's call this off'_, she tried.

'_I've had enough'_, she lied to herself.

Maybe whatever this was, would always be troublesome, but did that mean that it was more trouble than it was worth yet? Calling this off would be the easy way out, and Luna wasn't sure if she even wanted the easy way out.

All the same. the words were right there, on the tip of her tongue but she couldn't find her voice and Draco spoke up, cutting her off.

"I missed you," The Slytherin told her very matter-of-fact.

It was the last thing she'd expected him to admit, so with a giggle she turned. "I missed you too." She confessed honestly, because she really had missed him, and took his hand in hers.

Eyes shut, and pale face ever so slightly flushed with embarrassment, Draco released a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. Draco wasn't blind, nor was he stupid; he'd seen the way Pansy attacked Luna. How Pansy had known there was anything between them though, Draco didn't know. But he had been just a little worried Luna might have been driven away by Pansy. It was a relief for him to know that she hadn't been, not yet at least.

Turning to caress Luna's cheek with his free hand Draco marveled at her. Compared to him Luna was so open, so honest with herself and her feelings, so unbiased. Outside, for all the world to see, the tall blond male was unreadable, looking more disinterested with the petite beauty before him than anything.

But, when he kissed her, Luna could easily tell how little his words, actions, and expressions matched his feelings.

Part of Luna loved the idea that only she was privy to this tender side of him. That only she, one small Ravenclaw girl knew the real man behind his cool mask as a Slytherin.

Part of her also hated it. Luna hated it because she knew that what they had couldn't last, not like this.

Still, Luna did what she did every time she came to such realizations; she pushed them away and ignored them. Luna would enjoy the kiss while she could.

* * *

"Slut!" Pansy hissed under her breath, knocking into Luna bodily with her shoulder as she pushed past the younger girl.

Ginny, spit fire that she is, jumped for Pansy's turned back. It took both Ron and Harry to grab her and hold her back, both of them catching Ginny around the waist.

"Snape is Right There!" Harry warned her, restraining the youngest Weasley.

"Merlin's beard!" Ron exclaimed, leaving Ginny to harry and helping Luna up. "You'd almost think you were dating Draco with the way Pansy's been after you." Ron joked.

The joke just made Luna feel guilty and uncomfortable. "I'm not dating Draco," She said 'Though I do kiss him,' Luna thought.

* * *

Luna was in the Library with Ginny, both girls quietly working on their charms homework. The towering shelves of books were all around, old fashion iron lamps lined the desk, kept a light by magic and thus keeping the books safe from a fiery demise. While other students could been heard, none were within sight of the girls, the whole feeling was safe and comfortable.

Until one considered the way Ginny kept looking up and eyeing Luna, the Ravenclaw knew her Gryffindor friend was thinking about something. Lately 'something' with Ginny translated into 'Pansy' more often than not, and 'Pansy' was number Two on the list of 'Top Ten Things Luna Most Definitely Did NOT Want to Talk About'. Number one being Draco by half a point.

"So Luna," Ginny began.

With some quick thinking Luna cut Ginny right off. "It's about the Square Billed WakNaks, right?" She was really just throwing words together in the hope of distracting Ginny. Most people thought she made up creatures all the time, and as they say 'Even a broken clock is right twice a day', time for some broken clocks to be right. So, on the spot Luna made up the rare 'Square Billed WakNaks' they somehow related to charms homework and hopeful distracted girls named Ginny.

"Square Billed WakNaks?" Ginny repeated looking quite confused.

"Oh yes, Square Billed WakNaks," Luna said, going all dreamy while trying to imagine just how they affect her Charms homework. "Their eggs, they disrupt all sorts of _size-related spells_, especially charms like the engorgement charm! Well they are quite rare here, Square Billed WakNaks are found _all over_ North America, so I was wondering why Professor Flitwick never included them in the essay assignment." Luna explained in her normal dreamy voice, flipping text book pages as if actually looking for something.

With how often her classmates call her out on making up creatures would be just a little interesting to see if Ginny would accept the fake.

"Maybe they save them for Care of Magical Creatures? Or DADA?" Ginny thought aloud, sounding just a hint confused at the turn the conversation had taken.

"Hmmmm, I don't know," Luna said pretending to really think. "They only really affect charms, so I thought for sure in charms class. . . ."

"Well if they're so rare here maybe they only talk about in 6th or 7th year." Ginny suggested most helpfully if they'd actually been talking about a real creature. "Anyways, Luna about-"

Seeing just where the conversation Luna packed up her books. "Sorry Ginny, another time, I really want to ask Professor Flitwick about Square Billed WakNaks!" With that said Luna was gone.

Poor Ginny was left sitting across from a now vacant seat, "-About how pansy keeps bulling you." The redhead told the open air looking just a touch annoyed, before she too packed up her books and left to finish her homework in Gryffindor tower.


	14. Lesson Fourteen

**_Firstly yes I'm sorry this is very short, and yes this is very, very late, but I moved, got a puppy and lost all my story plans and this is just sounding like all sort of excuses isn't it? _**

**_I'm sorry this is so short. I decided to split up 14 just so I could upload something already. So yeah, I'm really bad as planning updates, I really am trying but life just gets in the way sometimes. Hopefully I can one day get into the swing of weekly updates, I really mean to I just lose my train and drop the ball every time. ._**

**_Anyways, chapter 15 is about halfway done and should be ready for next week, it should also be a lot longer._**

* * *

While Luna may often come off as spacey or dizzy she was no idiot. She was a Ravenclaw after all. It also didn't take a genius to figure out that Luna's friends were starting to notice Pansy's new found vendetta against Luna. It was amazing that no one was putting two and two together to find out why, but Luna was quite sure that it wouldn't take too much longer.

She also wasn't sure how her friends would take the news that Luna had spent the better part of the past school year snogging 'Draco Bloody Malfoy'. She put her money on badly, the real question was just _how_ badly would they take the news.

It was just this problem that had led Luna to the 3th floor painting of three washer women, each with her hair tied up, in pale coloured full dresses, with long off-white stained aprons. The three painted women to whom Luna had just finished explaining her currant problem.

"So what do you think?" Luna turned to the painting of three older wash women. She'd done her best to explain her problem to them without telling any names.

"Sound like you'll have to pick: Love or friendship!" The first one said, a plump woman with blonde curls and a soft purple and tan dress.

"Don't listen to her, if they _really_ are your friends they'll understand." Said the second, tucking back loose silver hairs, she was the oldest and dressed all in light blues.

The third snorted, she was the tallest and darkest, dressed in burnt orange and tawny browns. "You need to tell them. They won't like it one bit I'm sure, and sure, some might not talk to you for a time; that is if they ever do talk to you again. But if they are the great friends you say they are, they'll come around."

The oldest nodded sagely while the first woman shook her head.

"Do you really think they'll forgive me?" Luna asked.

"If you don't drag it out too much longer!" The oldest warned. "No one likes being lied to you know!"

"The longer you wait the worst it gets!"

"Just drop the boy!" The first woman shouted. "If he's so naughty that your friends hate him so much why are you wasting time on him?"

"Oh he's not all bad. He's good inside, I'm sure of it." Luna said, she didn't know why but something told her that deep inside Draco could be good if only he were given the chance to prove it.

"Gurturde! This is true love!" The tall woman scolded slapping her chubby friend.

"Oh I don't know about 'True love'," Blushing brightly Luna wrung her hands. She really didn't _love_ Draco, did she? How could one even tell if one was in love? Luna didn't have the foggiest idea. Love wasn't exactly a topic that was brought in her class work, or even her social life for that matter.

At the this point the three washer women had begun ignoring Luna in favor of fighting amongst themselves, so far the tall one and the old one were winning as they ganged up on the fat blonde woman. Luna figured that was about all the answer she would get from the women.

The answer was that honesty won.

Luna also figured she ought to warn Draco first.

She was going to tell her friends, or at the very least Ginny; and if Draco didn't like that they could just put a stop to all this already. Whatever all _this_ was.


End file.
